Let Dave Mustaine teach you how to play a classic Megadeth song

Remember that classic episode of The Simpsons where Homer attends a rock ‘n’ roll holiday camp with Elvis Costello, Mick Jagger, and Tom Petty? It turns out those types of places actually exist. The Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp took place earlier this month in Florida and featured the likes of Dave Mustaine from Megadeth and Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain.

And a video has emerged from the camp of Mustaine teaching wannabe rockers how to play his band’s classic song ‘Symphony of Destruction’.

The video was shared by one lucky attendee at the camp. “Dave Mustaine let us record him showing us how to play the main riffs in ‘Symphony of Destruction’. Always learn from the best!” the YouTube description explains.

Facing the camera while wielding his guitar, Mustaine goes into detail about how to play the song’s powerful riff. “The beginning is obviously a pull off,” he says, “but I choke the shit out of it. See the rest of the lesson below and get back to us once you’ve inevitably mastered it.

‘Symphony of Destruction’ was a single from Megadeth’s fifth studio album, 1992’s Countdown to Extinction. Due to heavy radio play, it went on to become one of the band’s most popular songs.

It was less complex than some of their other songs, though, containing a more commercially-friendly structure but with a heaving guitar riff; maybe that’s the reason why Mustaine chose to teach it to newbies at the camp.

Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy Camp has been providing fans the unforgettable opportunity to jam with their musical heroes for almost 30 years now. Over several days, they get to be mentored by some of rock’s best musicians, before they do one final performance alongside their heroes to cap off the experience.